Club reveal next stage plans for Northumberland Development Project

Posted on 3 April 2009
- 12:00

The Club has published detailed plans of its Northumberland Development Project, including an exceptional new public square designed by Martha Schwartz Partners, the widely acclaimed landscape architects behind some of the most exciting new public spaces in the world - including Grand Canal Square in Dublin, Exchange Square in Manchester, Nexus Kashi Housing Project, Fukuoka, Japan and the Jacob Javits Plaza in New York City.

- New Public Square for North Tottenham

Spurs publish plans for a new public square on Tottenham High Road as part of its Northumberland Development Project.

To include a dedicated space for community events, such as street markets, performers, ice rink or educational activities; and a second smaller, quieter space.

New images released of the proposed Stadium and public square.

Development now also includes a hotel to provide a further economic boost for the area.

Architects tighten the stadium bowl to maximise atmosphere - spectators will be closer to pitch than at any other comparable stadium.

Plans revealed at a new exhibition as part of a second public consultation, taking place from 2 to 7 April.

The Club has published detailed plans of its Northumberland Development Project, including an exceptional new public square designed by Martha Schwartz Partners, the widely acclaimed landscape architects behind some of the most exciting new public spaces in the world - including Grand Canal Square in Dublin, Exchange Square in Manchester, Nexus Kashi Housing Project, Fukuoka, Japan and the Jacob Javits Plaza in New York City.

The public square will contain two distinct but connected spaces - an active space for events and performances and a smaller, quieter space. Each space is defined by stepped landforms for seating, new planting and a ribbon of Astroturf that connects the landforms and provides softer places to sit. Together they provide places to watch events, read, meet up or just relax.

The Club will actively manage these spaces to promote their positive use, for example as a host for a street market, a temporary ice rink or musical performances as well as being used by local schools, churches and Haringey Council for events and activities.

Architects, KSS Group, has also reconfigured the stadium to create a tighter bowl and thereby maximise matchday atmosphere. Fans at the new stadium will be closer to the pitch than at any other comparable stadium in the UK.

The development now encompasses a vibrant mix of retail, leisure, restaurants, homes and a hotel - a mix of uses that will ensure visitors to the area 365 days a year, with all of the associated benefits that will bring to the local economy in the Borough.

"We received an overwhelmingly positive response to our first exhibition and we have spent the past few months further developing our plans, adding new elements, responding to feedback and evolving the scheme to where it is now.

"Too often new stadiums are surrounded by empty, dead space and we did not want that in Tottenham. Instead, with these new plans for the public square and public space, we have embraced the opportunity to create something truly special for local people.

"I believe the result is a space which has endless possible uses, is both fun and practical and will also build on the work of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation which already touches the lives of tens of thousands of people of all ages and abilities in Haringey and across North London. It provides an ideal area to engage with the community in both educational and social activities.

"We have always had the very highest aspirations for the Northumberland Development Project and this space completes a development which has the potential to be a flagship for the wider regeneration of the area.

"In respect of the stadium, we have been urging our architects to push the boundaries on technical design aspects in order to create a tighter bowl and an unbeatable match-day atmosphere. We are currently well known for the fantastic support from the stands and we wanted to ensure that this was retained and prioritised at a new stadium."

Commenting on the fans proximity to the pitch, Team Captain, Robbie Keane, said:

"The atmosphere in the stadium and its impact on the players can never be underestimated. Having the fans right up close, on the edge of the action, can lift the team on the day when it matters most and make the stadium a fortress."

Martha Schwartz, landscape architect, said:

"Spurs has been at the centre of Tottenham life for over a hundred years and the local people are proud of this heritage, they are proud to be Tottenham. The public space around the new stadium is an opportunity to celebrate this connection and provide a catalyst for regeneration.

"Our challenge has been designing space that is safe and exciting on a match day but that also engages and energizes the local community on non-match days.

"Tottenham has a young and vibrant population, but the quality of public space is low, particularly along the High Road, and there are few places to hang out and play. For this reason a new public square is at the heart of the proposals and will provide a space for Spurs fantastic supporters to gather but also space for civic events, learning and play."

As always we shall look to keep you, our supporters, along with the local community of Haringey, as informed and up-to-date as possible and the special section of the website - www.tottenhamhotspur.com/futureplans will carry the latest stories to keep you up to date on our emerging plans and to let us have your comments.